Name and location
Kamoto mine complex rehabilitation, Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Project description
Katanga Mining is rehabilitating the Kamoto mine complex, near Kolwezi in the DRC. The mine is located on the Congolese Copperbelt about 220 km north-east of Lubumbashi, the DRC's second city. The mine site covers an area of over 15 000 ha.

Mining will be from both openpit and under-ground operations. The mine complex comprises the Kamoto underground mine and the openpit mines of Dikuluwe, Mashamba East and Mashamba West (together known as Dima) and Musonoie-T17.

The ore will be processed in the Kamoto concentrator and refined in the Luilu metal-lurgical plant. Studies indicate that the total reserves and resources stand at 200-million tons of ore. At an average copper grade of 3,29%, this equates to 6,58-million tons of copper.

The project will be carried out in four phases.

Once fully operational, the mine will produce 150 000 t/y of copper and 5 000 t/y of cobalt.  

Value
From phase 1 through to phase 4, capital expenditure will total $426,7-million.

Duration
The plan is for a phased rehabilitation over a period of four years.

Breakdown of main contracts
Not stated.

Client
The Kamoto Copper Company is a Congolese joint-venture (JV) company formed to hold the Kamoto JV mineral reserves, mining, milling, hydrometallurgical facilities, and other assets, that are subject to a JV between Kinross Forrest, and Gécamines, a DRC State-owned enterprise.

Latest developments
Katanga Mining has completed rehabilitation of the concentrate roaster and started cold commissioning at the Luilu metallurgical plant.

A major rehabilitation programme was carried out at Luilu. Work on the concentrate roaster included restoring the structural integrity of the roaster building and the roaster shell, rebuilding fans, refurbishing the repulping ball mill, and replacing pumps and the roaster's refractory lining.

The leaching and thickening tanks and 54 copper electrowinning cells have also under-gone extensive refurbishment. The concentrate receiving area at Luilu has been operational since July 2007 and about 5 500 t of dried sulphide concentrate has been stockpiled ahead of the roaster becoming operational.

Cold-commissioning is expected to be completed at the end of the first week in December. The concentrate roaster, which transforms sulfide concentrates into a form suitable for leaching, will then be fed with concentrate for the first time in several years. The first copper production is expected to follow ten days after the start-up of the roaster.

The start-up of Luilu completes phase 1 of the JV's four-phase rehabilitation programme on schedule. It is expected that phase 1 will be completed within the original $176-million budget. Copper production will begin in December, as originally intended. The output for 2008 is forecast at about 100-million pounds of copper and five-million pounds of cobalt.

Participants
Hatch & Associates (independent feasibility study), Atlas Copco (primary mining fleet), and Hutch Fluidisation Technology (industrial copper concentrate roasters).

Construction materials
Not stated.

On budget and on time?
All major milestones have been achieved to date and the project continues on track and on budget.

Contact details for project information
Katanga Mining, tel +44 20 7440 5800,
fax +44 20 7440 5801 or
email info@katangamining.com.